France unveils controversial 'secularism charter'

France has unveiled its much-awaited "secularism charter" for schools which bans pupils from boycotting classes for religious or political reasons and promotes "total respect for the freedom of conscience".

French Education Minister Vincent Peillon unveils the secularism charter for all schools at the Samuel Beckett college near Paris Photo: AFP/GETTY

"La laïcité" – French for secularism – commands massive public support in France. But the charter, which lists 15 secular principles and will have pride of place in every state school in France, has already come in for criticism from some Muslim officials who claim it is a veiled attack on Islam.

Unveiling the document at a special ceremony at a school near Paris, Vincent Peillon, the education minister, said: "Nobody can say that due to my opinions I'm not going to this or that class or sport. The Republic recognises equality between girls and boys. There is separation of the private and public sphere."

Arising from France's 1905 law on secularism and the separation of the church and the state, the document reminds teacher and pupils of a number of broad Republican principles.

Article 9 states: "Secularism implies the rejection of all violence and all discrimination, guarantees equality between girls and boys, and is based on a culture of respect and understanding of the other."

The charter guarantees the "freedom of expression of ones' convictions" but expects "strict neutrality" from teachers. "They must not show their political or religious convictions in the exercise of their duties."

Underlining the principles of the Enlightenment, Article 12 states: "Lessons are secular ... No student can invoke their political or religious convictions, in order to dispute a teacher's right to address a question on the syllabus."

The charter reaffirms France's 2004 law banning pupils in state schools from wearing any "ostentatious religious symbols".

"Nobody can cite their religious appearance to refuse to obey rules applicable in our schools," states Article 13.

This article was criticised by several Muslim leaders. Dalil Boubakeur, new president of the French Council for the Muslim Faith, said: "We can very well see who (this charter) is addressing.

"I fear, as was the case in the 2004 law, seeing Muslims of France stigmatised as a whole and that this ban (on religious symbols) will be perceived as too brutal," he told BFM TV.

Abdallah Zekri, president of the Observatory on Islamophobia said he felt "targeted" by the charter.

"This charter was supposedly made to combat communitarianism," he told Le Parisien. "But honestly, I feel targeted because now when anyone talks about 'communitarianism,' they're really talking about Muslims," he said.

During the unveiling ceremony, Mr Peillon said: "Secularism is not a fight to pit one against another but a fight against those who wish to pit one against one another."

Some question whether the rules go far enough and whether teachers have the means to apply them.

Michèle Tabarot, MP with the Right-wing opposition UMP, said the charter was "in no way a proof of determination" to enforce secular principles and was typical of the Left's "pussyfooting" over the subject.

"The reality is that in the last few years, the Left has singularly lacked courage in the difficult struggle to defend secularism," he said.

However, Mr Peillon's predecessor as education minister, Luc Chatel also from the UMP party, tentatively welcomed the charter as "an initiative that can allow secular values to be spread more".

Philippe Tournier, Secretary-General of France's union of head teachers also welcomed the charter in theory but questioned whether it could be applied.

"The intentions are absolutely positive, but the essential issue remains enforcing what (the charter) affirms," he said.